Control device of a runner of an umbrella

ABSTRACT

An umbrella skeleton comprises a runner controlling device which is formed of a first plastic plate and a second plastic plate. The runner controlling device is located in a receiving slot of the top end of a shaft of the umbrella skeleton. The first plastic plate is provided with a rachet pillar, an arcuate locating plate, a movable ratchet wheel movably located between the ratchet pillar and the locating plate, and a pulley on which an activation cord is wound such that one end of the activation cord is fastened with the runner, and that other end of the activation cord is fastened with an activator located in proximity of the bottom end of the shaft.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates generally to a large umbrella, and more particularly to a runner controlling device of the large umbrella.

[0003] 2. Description of Related Art

[0004] As shown in FIGS. 1-3, a prior art large umbrella comprises a shaft A which is provided in the proximity of the top end thereof with a slot A1 in which a pulley A2 is disposed in conjunction with a bolt A3. The shaft A is further provided in the proximity of the bottom end thereof with a through hold A 12 in which a rotating mechanism A4 is disposed. The rotating mechanism A4 is provided with a center hold A41 and a cord X which is fastened at the top end with a runner A5 such that the bottom end of the cord is fixed in the center hole A41 via the pulley A2. In operation, the runner A5 is caused to move upwards along the shaft A by the cord X which is caused to pull the runner A5 by the rotating mechanism A4 in motion. When the rotating mechanism A4 is turned in reverse, the cord X is pulled back to its original position by the umbrella weight. The cord X is apt to jam in the center hole A41 of the shaft A. in addition, the cord X can be easily twisted at the time when the cord X is wound on the pulley A2. Moreover, the cord X is subjected to mechanical friction which is often a culprit for severance of the cord X. The rotating mechanism A4 can not be easily operated due to its excessively long moment of application force. The rotating mechanism A4 gives an added production cost to the umbrella.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a large umbrella with a runner controlling device which is easy to use and is cost-effective.

[0006] In keeping with the principle of the present invention, the foregoing objective of the present invention is attained by the runner controlling device, which comprises two plastic plates which are disposed in a receiving slot of the top end of a shaft of the large umbrella. One of the two plastic plates is provided with a ratchet pillar, an arcuate locating plate, a movable ratchet wheel located between the ratchet pillar and the arcuate locating plate, and a pulley on which a cord is wound such that one end of the cord is fastened with a runner of the umbrella, and that other end of the cord is fastened with an activator located in proximity of the bottom end of the shaft of the umbrella.

[0007] The present invention will be elucidated by the following embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008]FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a prior art large umbrella in use.

[0009]FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of a portion indicated by a line A-A as shown in FIG. 1.

[0010]FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of a portion indicated by a line B-B as shown in FIG. 1.

[0011]FIG. 4 shows a schematic view of a large umbrella of present invention.

[0012]FIG. 5 shows an exploded view of the position confining device of the present invention.

[0013]FIG. 6 shows a sectional view of the position confining device of the present invention in combination.

[0014]FIG. 7 shows a schematic view of the umbrella of the present invention in the stretched state.

[0015]FIG. 7A shows an enlarged sectional view of a portion indicated by a circle “H” as shown in FIG. 7.

[0016]FIG. 8 shows an exploded view of a position confining device of another preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0017]FIG. 9 shows a schematic view of the umbrella of another preferred embodiment of the present invention in the stretched state.

[0018]FIG. 9A shows an enlarged sectional view of a portion indicated by a circle “K” as shown in FIG. 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] As shown in FIGS. 4-7, an umbrella skeleton embodied in the present invention comprises a shaft B, a movable runner B12, and a control device B4 for controlling the runner B12.

[0020] The shaft B is provided in proximity of the top end with a receiving slot B1 which is in turn provided with two threaded holes B 11 opposite to each other.

[0021] The movable runner B 12 can be displaced along the shaft B.

[0022] The control device B4 is disposed in the receiving slot B1 of the shaft B and is formed of two plastic plates B2 and B3, which are opposite in location to each other. The first plastic plate B2 is provided at one end of the inner side with a first recess B21, and at the center of the inner side with a second recess B22 which is provided with a through hole B23. The second plastic plate B3 is provided at one end of the inner side with a depression B31, at the center of the inner side with a hollow pillar B32, and at other end of the inner side with a ratchet pillar B41, an arcuate locating plate B42, a movable ratchet wheel B43 located movably between the ratchet pillar B41 and the locating plate B42, and a pulley B5 having a projection B51 whose one end is received in the first recess B21 of the first plastic plate B2 such that other end of the projection B51 is received in the depression B31 of the second plastic plate B3.

[0023] The control device B4 is secured in place in the receiving slot B1 of the umbrella shaft B by a fastening bolt which is engaged with the hollow pillar B32 via the through hole B23 of the first plastic plate B2 and the threaded hole B11 of the shaft B.

[0024] An activation cord X is fastened at one end with the runner B12 such that other end of the cord X is fastened with two activators B6 in conjunction with two retaining rings B7 via the pulley B5, the hollow pillar B32, the space between the ratchet pillar B41 and the movable ratchet wheel B43, and the receiving slot B1.

[0025] As the activator B6 is activated to pull the cord X downwards, the movable ratchet wheel B43 is actuated to move to the bottom end of the arcuate locating plate B42, thereby resulting in the spreading out of the umbrella. When the cord X is slightly drawn outwards, the movable ratchet wheel B43 is raised to engage with the ratchet pillar B41, so as to fix the cord X.

[0026] The umbrella is folded by pulling the cord X downwards so as to cause the movable ratchet wheel B43 to move to the bottom end of the arcuate locating plate B42. Thereafter, the cord X is let go slowly.

[0027] It must be noted here that the retaining ring B7 is intended to retain the activator B6 in the wake of displacement of the activator B6.

[0028] As shown in FIGS. 8-9A, a control device C4 of another preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a first plastic plate C2 and a second plastic plate C3. The first plastic plate C2 is provided at one end of the inner side with a recess C21, at the center with a through hole C23, and at other end of the inner side with a triangular protrusion C22. The second plastic plate C3 is provided at one end of the inner side with a depression C31 corresponding in location to the recess C21 of the first plastic plate C2, at the center with a through hole C32 corresponding in location to the through hole C23 of the first plastic plate C2, and at other end of the inner side with a triangular protrusion C3 3 slightly smaller in area than the triangular protrusion C22 of the first plastic plate C2. A receiving space C42 is formed by the protrusions C22, C33, and the fringes of the plastic plates, as shown in FIG. 9A. The receiving space C42 is used to dispose the movable ratchet wheel C43.

[0029] The protrusions C22 and C33 are provided with a serrated bevel C41 engageable with the movable ratchet wheel C43.

[0030] The embodiments of the present invention described above are to be regarded in all respects as being merely illustrative and not restrictive. Accordingly, the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without deviating from the spirit thereof. The present invention is therefore to be limited only by the scopes of the following claims. 

I claim:
 1. An umbrella skeleton comprising: a shaft provided in proximity of a top end thereof with a receiving slot, and in proximity of a bottom end thereof with at least one activator, said receiving slot being provided with a threaded hole; a runner slidably fitted over said shaft; a control device disposed in said receiving slot of said shaft for controlling said runner; and an activation cord fastened at one end with said runner and at other end with said activator via said control device; wherein said control device comprises: a first plastic plate provided at one end of an inner side thereof with a first recess, and at the center of the inner side thereof with a second recess having a through hole; a second plastic plate provided at one end of an inner side thereof with a depression, at the center of the inner side with a hollow pillar, and at other end of the inner side with a ratchet pillar, an arcuate locating plate, a movable ratchet wheel located movably between said ratchet pillar and said locating plate, and a pulley having a projection, with one end of said projection being received in said first recess of said first plastic plate and with other end of said projection being received in said depression of said second plastic plate, said control device being held in place in said receiving slot of said shaft by a fastening bolt which is engaged with said hollow pillar via said through hole of said first plastic plate and said threaded hole of said receiving slot of said shaft, said activation cord being fastened at one end with said runner and at other end with said activator via said pulley, said hollow pillar, and a space between said ratchet pillar and said movable ratchet wheel whereby said movable ratchet wheel is actuated to move to locate at a bottom end of said locating plate so as to stretch out the umbrella at such time when said activator is activated to pull said activation cord, said movable ratchet wheel being raised from said bottom end of said locating plate to engage with said ratchet pillar so as to fix said activation cord at such time when said activation cord is drawn outwards, said movable ratchet wheel capable of disengaging said ratchet pillar so as to move to locate again at said bottom end of said locating plate at such time when said activation cord is pulled by an external force, thereby causing the umbrella to fold.
 2. The umbrella skeleton as defined in claim
 1. wherein said first plastic plate is provided at one end of the inner side with a recess, at the center thereof with a through hole, and at other end of the inner side with a triangular protrusion; wherein said second plastic plate is provided at one end of the inner side with a depression corresponding in location to said recess of said first plastic plate, at the center thereof with a through hole corresponding in location to said through hole of said first plastic plate, and at other end of the inner side with a triangular protrusion smaller in area than said triangular protrusion of said first plastic plate, said triangular protrusion of said first plastic plate, said triangular protrusion of said second plastic plate, and fringes of said first plastic plate and said second plastic plate forming together a receiving space, said two triangular protrusions being provided with a serrated bevel; wherein said movable ratchet wheel is disposed in said receiving space and is engageable with said serrated bevel. 